The Brazilian Midwest

The Brazilian Midwest

Industrial agriculture has wrapped itself in a green cloak in Mato Grosso, promising jobs, money and endless opportunities, all in the name of "sustainability." But the good times are only happening for a select few. Local residents are dealing with extreme weather, lack of access to fresh food, and a pesticide overload that has increased the risk of birth defects and lowered lifespans. This season is a collaboration with the Intercept Brasil. You can get the show in Portuguese on their feed as well, and companion stories at: https://www.intercept.com.br/ [https://www.intercept.com.br/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Ethanol Kingpin of Iowa

Bruce's venture in Brazil isn't the first time he tried to go global. What an earlier attempt tells us about him, his business, and what's ahead for both Iowa and "the Brazilian Midwest." This season is a collaboration with the Intercept Brasil. You can get the show in Portuguese on their feed as well, and companion stories at: https://www.intercept.com.br/ [https://www.intercept.com.br/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Carbon Gold Rush

As his American company Summit Carbon Solutions struggles with backlash to a carbon capture pipeline linking corn ethanol plants across the Midwest, Bruce Rastetter is not slowing down. Instead, he’s celebrating some big wins for his Brazilian company, FS Fueling Sustainability, from new ethanol-friendly climate policy to government funding for their carbon capture project. Pushkin+ subscribers can hear episodes early and ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Drilled show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drilled/id1439735906] or at pushkin.fm/plus [https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin]. Additional resources: The link between corn ethanol and deforestation [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-12/documents/environmental_challenges_associated_with_corn_ethanol_production.pdf] Peer-reviewed research on the climate problems associated with corn ethanol [https://news.wisc.edu/at-bioenergy-crossroads-should-corn-ethanol-be-left-in-the-rearview-mirror/]  An explainer on BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration) [https://news.wisc.edu/at-bioenergy-crossroads-should-corn-ethanol-be-left-in-the-rearview-mirror/]  Reading list on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) [https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/enhanced-oil-recovery]  Read more about the Summit Pipeline project [https://drilled.media/news/summit-carbon-pipeline] Carbon Herald on the push to connect Midwest ethanol plants to carbon capture [https://carbonherald.com/from-corn-to-co2-how-the-midwest-is-powering-the-carbon-capture-drive/#:~:text=Summit%20Carbon%20Solutions%20is%20now,ethanol%20plants%20to%20underground%20storage]  Brazilian government document on technical mission to US midwest [https://atosoficiais.com.br/anp/decisao-de-diretoria-n-488-2025-afastamento-do-pais-visita-tecnica-a-beccs-dakota-do-norte-usa?origin=instituicao&q=Disney++us&utm_source=chatgpt.com]  Travel schedule of Brazilian government officials while in the Midwest [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28076897-travel-schedule-beccs-gevo-technical-visit/]  Read more about the explosion of corn ethanol in Brazil: https://drilled.media/news/ethanol-story1 [https://drilled.media/news/ethanol-story1] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Welcome to Carbon Cowboys

For decades we’ve heard that “the markets” will solve the climate crisis. On Drilled: Carbon Cowboys, we put that theory to the test, following Bruce Rastetter, a corn ethanol kingpin-turned-carbon entrepreneur from Iowa to Brazil, and asking the big questions: Are these “climate solutions” actually reducing emissions? Is CO2 increasing or decreasing as carbon becomes a commodity? Or is green colonialism just as extractive as the regular sort? Drilled: Carbon Cowboys begins on May 12th. Pushkin+ subscribers can hear episodes early and ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Drilled show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drilled/id1439735906] or at pushkin.fm/plus [http://pushkin.fm/plus].    See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Fossil-fueled Fascism

The U.S. invasions of Venezuela and Iran are more of the same imperialism in service of oil majors. As the climate crisis makes its presence more urgently felt, fossil fascism dictates a doubling-down on extraction and colonialism, and the vilification of those who oppose or stand in the way of that plan. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.